Bill acceptance and detection system



Nov. 8, 1966 G. D. HAVILLE BILL ACCEPTANCE AND DETECTION SYSTEM 2Sheecs$heet 1 Filed Dec. 14, 1964 AQWEQ Sound! INVENTOR. 65mm 0. A AmziNov. 8, 1966 D. HAVILLE BILL ACCEPTANCE AND DETECTION SYSTEM 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 14, 1964 M m w L w 7- M C m m E w D IN VENTOR.

f w y 0 M e w 6 United States Patent BILL ACCEPTANCE AND DETECTIONSYSTEM George D. I-Iaville, Santa Barbara, Calif., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Litton Industries, Inc., Beverly Hills, Calif., acorporation of Delaware Substituted for abandoned application Ser. No.265,826,

Mar. 18, 1963. This application Dec. 14, 1964, Ser.

11 Claims. (Cl. 209111.7)

This invention relates generally to systems of the type used forcontrolling dispensing apparatus to make change and/or dispensemerchandise for paper currency. More particularly, the invention relatesto a new and improved bill acceptance and detection unit for receivingand evaluating the authenticity of paper money of a preselecteddenomination.

Due to the relatively high costs of sales personnel, merchandisingthrough vending machines has, in recent years, taken on increasingsignificance as a sales medium. To accommodate users of such vendingmachines, a number of coin changing devices have been developed whicheither make change for a larger coin or, in conjunction with a suitabledispensing mechanism, issue selected merchandise along with an amount inchange equal to the difference between the price of the merchandise andthe coin inserted into the machine.

In order to extend the versatility and utility of dispensing machines tohigher priced merchandise, a need has arisen for devices capable ofchanging paper money or dispensing merchandise and change for papermoney. In devices of this type which have theretofore been produced, abill is placed in a special tray which is adapted to slide into adetection unit for testing the bill to determine whether or not it isauthentic. Such testing may be effected either hotoelectrically orelect-romagnetically by methods well known in the art.

A mechanism capable of making change and/or dispensing merchandise iscoupled to the detection unit and, if the bill placed in the slidingtray is accepted as authentic, change and/ or merchandise is dispensedtherefor. If the detection unit indicates that the bill is notauthentic, the bill is not accepted, but rather is returned to theconsumer.

In view of the ever-increasing need for devices capable of dispensingmerchandise and/ or making change for paper currency, a considerableamount of time, expense, and. elfort has been devoted to the developmentof improved devices for performing such functions.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new andimproved bill acceptance and detection system which is compact,reliable, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object is to provide a new and improved bill acceptance anddetection unit which is rugged, reliable, and of relatively simpleconstruction requiring a minimum of parts.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improvedbill acceptance and detection device which obviates the need for slidingtrays or the like for receiving bills to be tested.

The above and other objects and advantages of this invention will bebetter understood by reference to the following detailed description,when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings of anillustrative embodiment thereof, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying "ice the improvedbill acceptance and detection unit of the prethe improved billacceptance and detection unit of the present invention in combinationwith an appropriate device for dispensing merchandise and/ or change;

FIGURE 2 is a left-side elevational view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1,portions of the external housing and internal components being brokenaway, and illustrating the device prior to insertion therein of a billto be tested;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectionalview, similar to FIGURE 2, andillustrates the device after insertion of a bill and during test by thedetection unit;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view of the area 4 inFIGURE 3, and illustrates the manner in which the detection unit isactivated following insertion of a bill to be tested;

FIGURE 5 is a front elevational view of the apparatus in FIGURE 1,portions of the housing and internal components being in section; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view, taken along the line 66 inFIGURE 5, and illustrating the mechanism for stripping an authentic billfrom the detection unit.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURE 1 thereof, acombined bill acceptance, detection and dispensing apparatus 10 includesan external housing 12 of steel or any other structural materialsuitable for resisting and discouraging tampering with the device byunauthorizerd personnel.

The housing 12 includes a vertically disposed front panel 14 and ahorizontal platform surface 16 extending to the base of the panel. Allof the components of the bill detection system are contained within thehousing 12 behind the panel 14, and a bill must be moved past the panel14 into proper alignment with the detection sys tem before the bill canbe tested. To this end, the base of the panel 14, adjacent the surface16, is provided with a horizontal slot 13 through which a bill can beinserted. Insertion is accomplished by resting the bill upon the surface16 and sliding it manually along the surface, towards the panel 14 andthrough the slot 18. To aid in guiding the bill through the slot 18, apair of bill guides 20 are affixed to the surface 16, and the panel 14is also provided with an oval cut-out 22 to insure adequate clearancefor the fingers of one hand during placement of the bill in thedetection unit.

Although the illustrated embodiment of the apparatus 10 is aconfiguration wherein the surface 16 is embodied into the sameconstruction as the acceptance and. detection unit of the presentinvention, the invention is not to be construed as being so limited, andthe surface 16 may be separately provided at the site where theacceptance and detection unit is eventually used.

Referring now additionally to FIGURES 2 and 3, a vertically disposedslide plate or door 24 is supported behind. and immediately adjacent thefront panel 14, the opposite ends of the slide plate being carried. in apair of channel members 26, so that the plate is capable of slidingmovement relative to the panel. The slide plate 24 carries a handle 28which extends through a vertical clearance slot 30 in the panel 14, sothat the slide plate can be removed via the handle from the oppositeside of the panel. The slide plate 24 is biased to its normally raisedposition shown in FIGURE 2 by a return spring 32 coupled to the insideend of the handle 28 or to any other convenient portion of the slideplate structure. When the slide plate 24 is moved to its loweredposition shown in FIGURE 3, the slide plate overlies the slot 18 andopening 22 in panel 14, thus denying access to the detection unit.

A solenoid 34 is mounted within the housing 12 behind the slide plate24, and this solenoid is adapted to lock the slide plate in its loweredposition, after insertion of a bill 36 to be tested and manual loweringof the slide plate via movement of the handle 28 by the consumer. Aswill be apparent in FIGURES 2 and 3, the solenoid 3 4 has a normallyextended solenoid plunger 38 which is biased against the rear surface ofthe slide plate 24 when the plate is in the raised position of FIGURE 2.The slide plate 24 is provided with a hole or recess 40 extending intothe plate from its rear face. The recess 40 is in vertical alignmentwith the solenoid plunger 38, and its central axis is spaced above thecentral axis of the plunger a distance equal to the travel of the platebetween its raised and lowered positions. When the slide plate 28 ismoved to the lowered position of FIGURE 3,

the solenoid plunger 38 engages the recess 40 and thereby locks theplate in the down position. Hence, the solenoid plunger 38 and recess 40essentially provide a detent mechanism for locking the slide plate 24and thereby closing off the openings 18 and 22 in the panel 14 after abill has been inserted into the detection unit,

After the bill 36 has been appropriately tested and processed, i.e., asby removal of an authentic bill or rejection of an unacceptable bill,the solenoid 34 is momentarily energized by a signal from a controlsystem 42 (see FIGURES 2 and 5). Enengization of the solenoid 34 causesthe plunger 38 to retract from the recess 40 and thereby release theslide plate 24 so that the spring 32 can return the slide plate to itsnormally raised position. This clears the openings 18, 22 in the panel14, and enables the consumer to either remove a rejected bill or insertanother bill if the previous bill has been accepted and deposited by theapparatus 10.

As will be apparent in FIGURE 4, lowering of the slide plate 24 not onlycloses the openings 18, 22, but

.also completes an electrical circuit between a source of electricalpower and a light source 44 (see FIGURES 2 and 5) which is used inphotoelectrically testing the bill 36 after it has been inserted intothe detection unit. To accomplish this energization of the light source44, an electrical switch 46, having a pushbutton actuator 48, is mountedso that the pushbutton will be depressed by the lower end of the slideplate 24 when the plate is moved to its lowermost position shown inFIGURES 3 and 4.

It will also be observed in FIGURE 4 that the rear face of the slideplate 24, near the lower end thereof, is provided with a bevel face 50.If the bill 36 has not been fully inserted into the detection unitbehind the panel 14, the bevel face 50 tends to drive the bill to afully inserted position when the slide plate 24 is lowered.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURES 2, 5 and 6, the operation ofthe system following insertion of the bill 36 is next described. Afterinsertion of the bill 36 through the insert slot 18 in the panel 14, thebill rests upon a transparent or translucent plate 52 which is mountedwithin the housing 12 so that its upper surface is in the samehorizontal plane as the platform surface 16. The depth of insertion ofthe bill 36 is limited by a suitable stop member 54 projecting above theplate 52, so that abutment of the leading edge of the bill with the stopwill automatically assure proper alignment of the bill with a detectionhead 56 supported Within the housing above the plate 52. I

The light source 44 is supported below the plate 52 within a suitableenclosure 48 for directing light through the plate 52. As previouslyindicated, the light source 44 is energized only when the slide plate 24has been moved to its lowermost position and, hence, access to the bill36 while it is being tested is effectively prevented. The light passingthrough the plate 52 illuminates the bill 36 and passes through the billwith an intensity pat- 4 tern duplicating the printed pattern upon thebill being tested.

The detection head 56 preferably comprises an array of photoelectriccells or the like arranged to read selected portions of the lightpattern emanating from the bill 36, so that the pattern may beelectronically evaulated with respect to the proper pattern for anauthentic bill of selected denomination. In this respect, it will beapparent that the photoelectric cell array may be periodically alteredto make the system less susceptible to paying out for counterfeit bills.Moreover, different arrays may be used for bills of differentdenomination, so that each individual unit 10 is capable of beingcustomized to receive and evaluate bills of any single selecteddenomination. These same units may be subsequently modified for use withbills of a different denomination.

The electrical output from the detection head 56 is directed as an inputto the control system 42. If the bill 36 is authentic, the controlsystem energizes appropriate stripping means for removing the bill 36from beneath the detection head 56 and depositing the bill in a suitablemoney box 60. The control system 42 also provides, upon receipt of anauthentic bill, a command signal output which is directed to adispensing device 62, to cause the latter to dispense merchandise and/orpay out change through an appropriate chute 63 shown in FIGURE 1.

After the bill 36 has been stripped from beneath the detection head 56,the control system 42 generates a signal for momentarily energizing thesolenoid 34, so that the slide plate 24 is unlocked and returned to itsnormally raised position in FIGURE 2. If the bill 36 is not authentic,the control system 42 does not energize stripping means or thedispensing device, but rather merely energizes the solenoid 34. In thislatter instance, when the slide plate 24 is raised, the consumer canremove the rejected bill and insert a new one.

The stripping means for removing an authentic bill includes a strippermotor 64 which drives a pair of resilient stripping rollers 66, 68through a conventional pulley and drive belt arrangement 70 or the like.The lower roller 66 is a driving roller journaled for rotation below theplate 52, and adapted to engage ,the underside of the bill 36 through aclearance opening 72 in the plate 52. The upper roller 68 is an idlerroller carried by the slide plate 24, one end of the roller beingjournaled in the plate itself at 74 with the other end journaled in asuitable bracket 76 mounted upon the plate 24. Hence, when the slideplate 24 is lowered, the idler roller 68 engages the upper face of thebill 36 and pinches the bill between the idler roller and the drivingroller 66. Therefore, when the stripper motor 64 is energized by thecontrol system 42, the rollers 66 and 68 both rotate to strip the bill36 from beneath the detection head 56.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that, while a particular form ofmy invention has been illustrated and described, various modificationscan be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.Ac-

cordingly, I do not intend that my invention be limited, except as bythe appended claims.

I claim:

1. A bill acceptance and detection device, comprising:

a bill detection system including a detection head and a control system;

a housing enclosing said bill detection system, said housing having apanel member, said panel member having a slot through which a bill to betested may be inserted to place the bill within the detection head, saidpanel member also having a clearance opening adjacent said slot, saidopening being of suflicient size to permit the fingers of a hand to beinserted therethrough in placing a bill in proper alignment with saiddetection head;

movable means within said housing adjacent said slot and said openinghaving a portion accessible from outside said housing, said movablemeans being selectively operable from outside said housing to a positionoverlying said slot and said opening and thereby denying access to saiddetection head; locking means for locking said movable means in theposition overlying said slot and said opening;

and means under the control of said detection system for releasing saidlocking means.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said clearance openingcommunicates with said slot.

3. A device for receiving and evaluating paper money of prescribeddenomination, comprising:

a bill detection system including a detection head and a control system;

an enclosure about said bill detection system, said enclosure having afront panel member, said panel member having an opening through which abill may be inserted and placed in alignment with said detection head;

movable means within said enclosure and adjacent said opening having aportion accessible from outside said enclosure, said movable means beingoperable from outside said enclosure from an open position to a closedposition overlying said opening in said panel member;

locking means for locking said movable means in a closed position;

means responsive to closing of said movable means to activate saiddetection system;

and means responsive to said detection system for releasing said lockingmeans.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3, including additional means forbiasing said movable means to a normally open position.

5. In a bill acceptance and detection apparatus, the combinationcomprising;

a bill detection station;

a bill detection system including a detection head juxtaposed to saiddetection station;

a housing enclosing said detection station and said detection system,said housing having a front panel member, said panel member having anopening of sufiicient size to permit a bill and a portion of a hand tobe inserted therethrough in aligning the bill at said detection station;

sliding means within said housing adjacent said panel member, saidsliding means being selectively operable from outside said housing froma normally open first position to a second position overlying saidopening;

locking means for automatically locking said sliding means when saidsliding means is brought to its second position;

electrical switching means conditioned by said sliding means in itssecond position to activate said detection system;

and means responsive to said detection system for releasing said lockingmeans.

6. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said locking means issolenoid actuated.

7. A bill acceptance and detection device, comprising:

a bill detection station, said station including a substantially planarsurface for supporting a bill under test;

a bill detection system including a control system and a detection headfor examining bills upon said planar surface;

a housing enclosing said detection station and said detection system,said housing having a front panel member, said panel member having aslot through which a bill to be tested may be inserted, said slot beingin substantial alignment with said planar surface, said panel memberalso having a clearance opening of sufficient size to permit a portionof a hand to be inserted therethrough in aligning said bill at saiddetection station;

bill guiding means adjacent said slot to aid in proper insertion of abill through said slot;

a slide plate withinsaid housing and adapted to slide relative to saidpanel member, said slide plate being selectively operable from outsidesaid housing from a normally open position to a closed positionoverlying said slot and said clearance opening, said slide plate havinga recess in one face thereof;

means for spring biasing said slide plate to its normally open position;

a solenoid plunger biased against said slide plate and adapted to engagesaid recess when said slide plate overlies said slot and said opening,whereby said slide plate is automatically locked in its closed position;

electrical switching means conditioned by said slide plate in its closedposition to activate said detection system;

and means responsive to said detection system for retracting saidsolenoid plunger from said recess, whereby said slide plate is returnedto its normally open position.

8. A device as set forth in claim 7, including stripping meansresponsive to detection of an authentic bill by said detection system tostrip said bill from said planar surface.

9. A device as set forth in claim 8, wherein a portion of said strippingmeans is carried upon said slide plate.

10. A device as set forth in claim 7, including means for biasing a billto a properly inserted position at said detection station as said slideplate is moved to its position overlying said slot and said opening.

11. In a bill acceptance and detection system, the combinationcomprising:

a bill detection station, said station including a substantiallyhorizontal and light pervious surface for supporting a bill under test;

a photoelectric bill detection system in juxtaposition to said planarsurface to examine and evaluate a bill upon said surface;

a housing enclosing said detection station and said detection system,said housing having a substantially vertical front panel member, saidpanel member having a substantially horizontal slot in alignment withsaid planar surface and through which a bill to be tested may beinserted, said panel member also having a larger opening communicatingwith said slot, said opening being of sufficient size to permit aportion of one hand to be inserted therethrough in aligning a bill atsaid detection station;

a substantially planar surface outside said housing in alignment withsaid slot and said horizontal surface at said detection station;

bill guiding means carried upon said planar surface to aid in properlyinserting a bill through said slot;

a slide plate adjacent said panel member within said housing and adaptedto move relative to said panel member, said slide plate having a recessin one face thereof;

handle means secured to said slide plate and extending through saidpanel member for selectively operating said slide plate from outsidesaid housing from an open position to a closed position overlying bothsaid slot and said opening;

means for spring biasing said slide plate to its open position;

means for biasing a bill to be tested into said housing as said slideplate is moved to its closed position;

a normally extended solenoid plunger biased against the face of saidslide plate having said recess, said plunger being adapted to engagesaid recess when said slide plate overlies said slot and said opening,whereby said slide plate is automatically locked in its closed position;

electrical switching means conditioned by said slide 7 3 plate in itsclosed position to activate said detection References Cited by theExaminersystem; UNITED STATES PATENTS stripping means within saidhousing for removing and depositing a tested bill in response to afavorable evaluation of said bill by said detection system; 5

and means responsive to both removal of a bill by said stripping meansor an unfavorable evaluation by said detection means to retract saidsolenoid plunger from said recess in said slide plate, whereby saidslide plate HENSON WOOD I Primary Exammer' is automatically returned toits normally open posi- 10 R. A. SCHACHER, Assistant Examiner. tion.

2,936,684 5/1960 Simjian. 2,960,377 l1/ 1960 Simjianj 2,995,976 8/1961Weingart. 3,064,785 ll/ 1962 Weingart.

3. A DEVICE FOR RECEIVING AND EVALUATING PAPER MONEY OF PRESCRIBEDDENOMINATION, COMPRISING: A BILL DETECTION SYSTEM INCLUDING A DETECTIONHEAD AND A CONTROL SYSTEM; AN ENCLOSURE ABOUT SAID BILL DETECTIONSYSTEM, SAID ENCLOSURE HAVING A FRONT PANEL MEMBER, SAID PANEL MEMBERHAVING AN OPENING THROUGH WHICH A BILL MAY BE INSERTED AND PLACED INALIGNMENT WITH SAID DETECTION HEAD; MOVABLE MEANS WITHIN SAID ENCLOSUREAND ADJACENT SAID OPENING HAVING A PORTION ACCESSIBLE FROM OUTSIDE SAIDENCLOSURE, SAID MOVABLE MEANS BEING OPERABLE FROM OUTSIDE SAID ENCLOSUREFROM AN OPEN POSITION TO A CLOSED POSITION OVERLYING SAID OPENING INSAID PANEL MEMBER; LOCKING MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID MOVABLE MEANS IN ACLOSED POSITION; MEANS RESPONSIVE TO CLOSING OF SAID MOVABLE MEANS TOACTIVATE SAID DETECTION SYSTEM; AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO SAID DETECTIONSYSTEM FOR RELEASING SAID LOCKING MEANS.